Combat vehicles such as the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) may be configured with a roof ring mount that allows various weapons systems to be mounted to the roof of the vehicle. For example, Remote Weapons Systems (RWS) including light and heavy machine guns, rockets, or missiles may be mounted to the top of a HMMWV. Such weapons systems allow a gunner or other operator to move, target and fire the system via a remote control. Many RWS remote controls include a video screen which provides images from one or more camera mounted on or about the weapons system and allow the gunner to visually acquire targets and otherwise view a battlefield.
However, these systems are deficient because the screens on such remote controls are small, and fail to provide the gunner and other personnel in a combat vehicle with adequate situational awareness. Cameras provide only a limited field of view, are typically difficult to control, and move slowly. Unfortunately, with the gunner's observations limited to a small field of view presented on the display, the gunner must depend on other vehicle crew members to locate targets. Even once targets are acquired, there can be substantial lag time between locating a target and acquiring the target with the RWS. Such a lag time creates an unacceptable danger for the vehicle crew.
In view of the foregoing, a need exists for a modular turret extension system for providing improved situational awareness in an effort to overcome the aforementioned obstacles and deficiencies of conventional combat vehicle turret systems.
It should be noted that the figures are not drawn to scale and that elements of similar structures or functions are generally represented by like reference numerals for illustrative purposes throughout the figures. It also should be noted that the figures are only intended to facilitate the description of the preferred embodiments. The figures do not illustrate every aspect of the described embodiments and do not limit the scope of the present disclosure.